climate justice: what corporations should (and should not) do

Sep 5

published 9.5.24

As a Community Engagement Specialist at qb., I work on climate justice and community resilience projects with companies like Verizon. My focus is to elevate community needs and design community-informed climate resilience solutions.

Each year, we see increasingly intense and unpredictable weather patterns. Our vision at qb. has always been to create a world where all organizations prioritize inclusive, diverse communities and invest in climate resilience, and we’re on a mission to help corporations alleviate climate distress for communities experiencing it first-hand. So, how can corporations help communities be more climate resilient? After 14 years of working in communities, this is my advice:

Invest in community-led initiatives and nature-based solutions.

Here’s how you can get started:

Begin with Community Engagement: Talk to the people who actually live in the communities. Ask employees, city officials, local organizers, and residents about their needs and challenges related to natural disasters or environmental injustices. Check out qb.’s Stakeholder Engagement that Doesn’t Suck for inspiration.

Explore Nature-based Solutions: Support projects that protect and restore nature, including stormwater projects that help communities experiencing flooding or tree-planting projects that combat extreme heat. Support projects that boost biodiversity and benefit both people and the planet. Here are two rad ones: tackling stormwater and reducing flooding with playgrounds and reducing urban heat island effects by planting trees at a local high school.

Design a Holistic Climate Strategy: Develop plans that protect your company AND help communities adapt to climate change. Not sure how to do that? No worries—that’s one of qb.’s specialties!

Remember, Climate Change is a Social Impact Issue: Climate change isn't just an environmental issue; it's a social one that worsens existing inequalities. Integrating climate resilience into social impact initiatives means acknowledging these disparities to work towards climate justice. Start asking how your sustainability and social impact teams can work together.

Focus on Climate Justice: Climate justice intersects with racial justice, environmental protection and fair land use. To create effective and lasting resilience programs, it's crucial to center the voices of those historically left out of decision-making. Engaging these stakeholders from the start ensures your program will be more inclusive and effective.

Know that Collaboration is Key: To help communities become more resilient, work closely with local experts and community leaders. These individuals provide valuable insights and stakeholder trust. Deep engagement aligns your program with the community’s specific needs and goals and will increase your social license to operate.

Want to incorporate climate equity and community resilience into your climate strategy? Reach out to learn more.